Which punctuation marks can end a sentence?

• A. Period
• B. Question mark
• C. All of the above
• D. Exclamation point

Answer: (C)

End-of-sentence punctuation signals the kind of sentence and how the reader should pause. A period ends a statement or neutral thought, a question mark ends a direct question, and an exclamation point ends a sentence that expresses strong emotion or emphasis. Since each of these marks can legitimately conclude a sentence, the correct choice includes all of them. For example: “The meeting is at noon.” “Will you be there?” “Finish the report now!” This shows why all three marks serve as sentence enders.